The present invention generally relates to exit devices, and more specifically to an exit device that is adapted to retain the exit device in a locked condition during at least relatively high impact force situations.
During windstorms, including, for example, during tornado or hurricane events, entryway devices, such as doors and gates, among other devices, may be subjected to relatively high impact forces. Moreover, during windstorms, flying debris and other objects may strike entryway devices with sufficient impact force(s) to facilitate the unintentional unlatching of an associated exit device of the entryway device. For example, in certain instances, such an impact force(s) may cause the entryway device to flex inward while a push pad of the exit device remains relatively stationary. The resulting relative compression of the push pad may activate the exit device, causing the associated latches of the exit device to be displaced from a locked position to an unlocked position.
In at least an attempt to resist such compression, some exit devices use stiffer action rod springs. However, during at least normal operation of the exit device, stiffer action rod springs may increase the force that is needed to be exerted against the push pad to compress the push pad to operate the exit device, which may adversely impact the everyday ease of usage of the exit device. Further, even with stiffer action rod springs, the impulse nature of impact force(s) against the entryway device, such as, impact forces associated with hurricane events, may generate enough velocity in the push pad and connection system of the exit device to create a momentum that causes that a portion of the exit device to move independently of another portion of the exit device, such as, for example, a baseplate moving assembly, and thereby cause activation of the exit device so that the latch(es) is/are released from the locked position.